For once, I was in agreement with Prudie on something, the tickling advice seemed to be going in the right direction, and then "Goodbye". Christ woman, maybe that is the way to go eventually, but couldn't you think of at least SOME other advice? Maybe a half measure, or some kind of way to turn the tables? I especially like how she put "daily climbs on top of you and pins you down" in italics.

I mean, F***. I must be a masochist to to keep reading her column.

**Caveat - I am not condoning his actions, and am assuming that he is otherwise not abusive or domineering.

She has told him she doesn't like it. She has gotten up and left the room when he does it. She has tried telling him not to do it, and he tells her she must like it and holds her down so she can't get away and tickles her. This is called criminal assault . Now, I would think if he is this great guy, I might try to explain to him why this is such a deal-breaker; maybe he thinks because he can use his strength in an intimate relationship to force his view of the world on his woman, it's OK if it's just a joke. But a lot of women are in love with "really great guys with everything going for them" who only kick the sh*t out of them once in a blue moon. Sometimes those guys cut your throat when you try to leave. Phone the women's shelter in your town and have a plan. You're not the only one.

The girl has explained over and over that she HATES to be pinned down and tortured. The guy has ignored her. How long should she put up with his asshole ways?

No means no. How many times do some guys have to be told that?

She should get rid of the torturer. Life's too short to drink bad wine, as the poet said.

The supposed LW keeps hanging on with the guy, hoping he will change. Her basic question for Prudie is how to get him to change. The LW might be fairly bright in most ways but she can't process the very clear information she's getting. My sister was married to one of those nuts.

Prudie danced around the brutal fact that he is not going to change and that he's going to keep on doing what he wants to do. He's going to continue to tell her it's her fault, or that she must "really" like it, or some other preposterous lie. Sounds like a classic abused woman situation, only we are seeing the earliest stage. No bruises - yet.

The LW can't process that information. He won't change because he doesn't want to change and probably thinks hes' even better than the "wonderful, great, caring, etc" BS in the first line of all these stupid fake letters.

She won't figure it out the first or second time he puts her in the ER either. Somebody should just shoot the SOB.

Maybe she has already done this, but is there not a reasonable step of saying "this is truly intolerable, and I do not believe you have understood how seriously I mean it when I tell you to stop. The next time you tickle me, our relationship will be over."

Unreasonable?

NickBanglo:

Maybe she has already done this, but is there not a reasonable step of saying "this is truly intolerable, and I do not believe you have understood how seriously I mean it when I tell you to stop. The next time you tickle me, our relationship will be over."

Unreasonable?

That's the nicest way to do it, unless of course, she thinks he will try to prevent her from leaving. If so, she needs to pick up and go when he's not home.

Wow, you guys are reading a lot into this letter and making a LOT of assumptions. I too am making assumptions, but most of you seem to be choosing the worst possible scenario. I simply disagree that that is the way to go on this. While it wouldn't occur to me to continue tickling my wife if she said it made her uncomfortable, I don't think we can automatically assume that he can't be shown the error of his ways.